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HELiFIRE™ Monsoon Buckets

"Freestanding & Collapsible Aerial Firefighting System"

HELiFIRE™ Monsoon Buckets offer a wildfire proven collapsible and freestanding aerial firefighting system to deliver water and water additives to support firefighting operations.

The HELiFIRE™ Monsoon Bucket is the only fully collapsible freestanding capable fire buckets on the market. Although there are a number of other suppliers of helicopter buckets around the world, they cannot be filled and left freestanding on the ground, and this sets us apart from other variants of helicopter buckets such as the Bambi bucket, Cloudburst and Fastbucket.

CONSTRUCTION

HELiFIRE Monsoon Buckets are extremely reliable under all conditions. They are lightweight and durable and offer a relatively low-cost “Hook & Go” capability. They fly extremely well both full and when empty, are easy to pack up. In addition, they can be landed at full capacity to support of ground based fire crews.

The HELiFIRE Monsoon Buckets base and internal self-supporting collapsible frame is made of 316 stainless steel, the come complete with certified stainless steel rigging and the yellowliner is made of heavy duty PVC coated industrial nylon fabric with RF welded lap seams.

The liner is ultraviolet, fire retardant, puncture and abrasion resistant, and as such can withstand the forces of nature that monsoon buckets experience when slung under a helicopter over the fire line.

SET UP & OPERATION

The Pilot/Flight Crew simply attaches the monsoon bucket to the helicopter hook, via lift ring and 10 -15 m strops, then plugs the two ARO connectors/airlines into the source of bleed air (or BA cylinder) to allow the PIC to control the pneumatic ram to discharge the water via the monsoon doors.

HOVER FILL CAPABILITY

The Pilot In Command (PIC) hovers over the selected water source, such as lakes, ponds, rivers and oceans. The Pilot In Command (PIC) then lowers the empty HELiFIRE Monsoon Bucket with its monsoon doors (valve) open into the selected water source whilst looking out of the cockpit window to facilitate quick pick up, and provide a full view of the water source and surrounding area to ensure obstacle clearance and enhance safe load delivery.

The Pilot In Command (PIC) then closes the monsoon doors (valves) inside the HELiFIRE Monsoon Bucket, so the bucket can be then safely filled to appropriate level visually by the Pilot In Command (PIC) by looking at the water level inside the HELiFIRE Monsoon Bucket abd using the Onboard Weighing System (if fitted) to prevent the Pilot In Command (PIC) from overloading to the helicopter while on external load lifting operations.

POSITIONING THE BUCKET FOR DROPS

The HELiFIRE™ Monsoon Buckets provides both single and multiple drop capability. Once the helicopter is over the fire, the HELiFIRE Monsoon Bucket is placed precisely over the designated target. The Pilot In Command (PIC) then electrically opens the bucket monsoon doors (valves) to drop suppressants and retardants in a variety of ways that best meet the needs of the ground firefighters.

The Pilot In Command (PIC) can create a massive fire line by partially opening the monsoon doors (valve) while in forward flight; they can also open and close the monsoon doors (valves) to dispense a series of spot drops; or they can hit those stubborn hotspots with precise, massive spot drop.

CERTIFICATION

Certification Standards for Helicopter Firefighting Buckets – As the HELiFIRE Monsoon bucket is underslung from a Helicopter Hook (which is STC'd), there are no structural and electrical modifications required for the installation for a HELiFIRE Bucket on any Helicopter, and as such there is no requirement for HELiFIRE Bucket to have a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) or to be certified by CAA to manufacture.

Our range of HELiFIRE Monsoon buckets are fit for purpose and are built to and operate under the New Zealand Civil Aviation Rule (CAA) Rule Part 133 – Helicopter External Load Operations and the National Rural Fire Authority (NRFA) Fire Equipment Standards for helicopter firefighting Buckets.